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  OBITUARY ARCHIVES Established 1891 Callicoon, New York  
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September 20, 2002

G. Allison Worden
Ret. Dir. of Educ., 97

George Allison Worden of the state of Florida, a former longtime resident of White Sulphur Springs, died Monday, September 16, 2002, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in St. Petersburg, Fla. He was 97 years of age.
The son of the late Palmer and Rosella Worden, he was born September 22, 1904, in Dahlia. He was the widow of Olive Worden.
A 1923 graduate of Liberty High School, he received his bachelor's degree from SUNY Albany in 1931 and his master's degree from NYU in 1938. He was a member of Kappa Delta Pi and served as principal of the White Sulphur Springs School from 1932 to 1937. Mr. Worden retired in 1963 as director of education at the Woodbourne Correctinal Facility and moved to Pinellas County, Florida.
Mr. Worden was a 90-year member of the White Sulphur Springs Methodist Church and a member of the WSS Senior Citizens. He was a charter member of the White Sulphur Springs Fire Department, a 68-year member of Mount Hope Masonic Lodge and served as District Deputy of the IOOF Lodge.
In Pinellas County, Fla., he was a member of the Pinellas Co. Sheriff's Advisory Board, St. James Methodist Church Keenagers, Lealman Community Association and the Pinellas Park HI-12 Club.
He is survived by his wife, Flora Worden, at home; two sons and daughters-in-law, George and Jeanette Worden of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Roy "Porky" and Jennie Worden of Hurleyville; four grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Burial of the cremains will be made in the Laurel Hill Cemetery in White Sulphur Springs, at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the White Sulphur Springs Methodist Church, White Sulphur Springs, N.Y. 12787 or to St. James Methodist Church, 845 87th Ave. North, St. Petersburg, Fla. 33702.

Ralph Brackman
Ret. Dairy Farmer, 89

Ralph Brackman of Grahamsville, a retired dairy farmer and a lifelong area resident, died Tuesday, September 17, 2002, at the Roscoe Community Nursing Home in Roscoe. He was 89 years of age.
The son of the late William and Ella Sheley Brackman, he was born February 8, 1913, in the Town of Denning.
Mr. Brackman was a member of the Grahamsville Reformed Church.
He is survived by his wife, Mae Snyder Brackman, of Roscoe; a daughter, Hulda Vernooy of Woodbourne; two grandchildren, Keith Ferber of Callicoon Center and Karla Ackerley of Tampa, Fla.; two great- grandchildren, Colin and Chloe Ackerley; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Loucks Funeral Home, Route 209, Ellenville, on Friday from 10 to 11 a.m.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Paul Ruter officiating.
Burial will be made in the Grahamsville Rural Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Holiday Fund, c/o Roscoe Community Nursing Home, Roscoe, N.Y. 12776.

George F. Kupcho
Ret. Offc. Mgr., 62

George F. Kupcho of White Lake, a 12-year area resident and a retired office manager for Rowe Corp. in New York City, died Tuesday, September 17, 2002, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 62 years of age.
The son of the late George and Bessie Smykowski Kupcho, he was born January 30, 1940, in Brooklyn.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Alice Mortenson Kupcho, at home; a daughter and son-in-law, Debra and Joseph Laselva of Brooklyn; and two grandchildren, Grace and Mike Laselva.
Services were held Thursday evening at the Ramsay's Funeral Home in Kauneonga Lake with the Rev. Ignatius Smith officiating.
Cremation was private at the Cedar Hill Crematory in Middle Hope.

Ethel A. Hannan
Ret. Bookkeeper, 88

Ethel A. Hannan of Liberty, a retired self-employed bookkeeper who worked in Brooklyn for many years, died Tuesday, September 17, 2002, at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center in Liberty. She was 88 years of age.
The daughter of the late John and Elizabeth McCricert, she was born April 12, 1914, in Brooklyn.
She is survived by seven nieces, Jackie MacEntee of Liberty, Ann Patricia May of New Milford, N.J., Joan Toher of Liberty, Joel DeStefano of Tom's River, N.J., Judith Froelich of Honesdale, Pa., June Finkle of Livingston Manor and Jennifer Startup of Kerhonkson; four nephews, Lawrence Austin of White Sulphur Springs, Lee G. Austin of Halcott Center, Lemuel Austin of Loch Sheldrake and Alfred J. Austin of South Carolina; and several grand-nieces and grandnephews. She was predeceased by a niece, Julia Jackson.
Services will be held Friday at the Ft. Myers Memorial Gardens in Fort Myers, Fla.
Burial will be made in Ft. Myers Memorial Gardens.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sullivan County Adult Center Family Care Council, P.O. Box 671, Liberty, N.Y. 12754.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Ramsay's Funeral Home in Liberty.

William H. Fenn
Ret. Sr. Engineer, 92

William H. Fenn of Woodbourne, a retired senior stationary engineer at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility and a lifelong area resident, died Tuesday, September 17, 2002, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 92 years of age.
The son of the late William and Ethel Dobbs Sheeley Fenn, he was born December 20, 1909, in Middletown. He was the widower of Marguerite Hartman Fenn who died in August of 1980.
Mr. Fenn was a communicant of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Woodbourne, a charter member of the Woodbourne Bowling league, a charter member of the Tuesday Lochmor Golf League, a life member of the Woodbourne Fire Company and a member of the Whitetail Hunting Lodge in Claryville.
He is survived a daughter, Rose Marie Killian of Liberty; two grandchildren and their spouses, Pamela and Steve Katz and Timothy and Mary Killian, all of Liberty; five great-grandchildren, Michelle and Justin Katz and Daniel, Jarryd and John Killian; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by five sisters and two brothers.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Friday at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Woodbourne with the Rev. John Lynch officiating.
Burial will be made in the Hillside Cemetery in Woodbourne.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Orange-Sullivan Hospice, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y 12550; Church of the Immaculate Conception, Route 42, Woodbourne, N.Y. 12788; or St. Peter's Church, 264 No. Main St., Liberty, N.Y. 12754.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Harris Funeral Home in Liberty.

Harvey L. Hewlett
Scrap Iron Dealer, 72

Harvey L. Hewlett of Woodridge, a lifelong area resident and a self-employed scrap iron dealer in Woodridge, died at the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. He was 72 years of age.
The son of the late Walter and Nettie Bowers Hewlett, he was born May 29, 1930, in Hurleyville.
Mr. Hewlett was a member of the Hurleyville United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Charlotte Bivins Hewlett, at home; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Nancy and William Donnelly of Kerhonkson, Charlotte Furman of Glen Wild, and Carol and Lester Newell Jr. of Monticello; two brothers, Ronald Hewlett of Swan Lake and Clifford Hewlett of Loch Sheldrake; 12 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by two brothers, Walter and Chet Hewlett, and two sisters, Grace Norwood and Lillian Hill.
Services were held Thursday at the Ramsay's Funeral Home in Liberty with the Rev. Carl Caskey officiating.
Burial was made in the Hurleyville Cemetery in Hurleyville.

Edward Mirabella
Ret. Plumber, 72

Edward Mirabella of Ferndale, a retired plumber from the Westchester Community College, died Moday, September 16, 2002, at his home. He was 72 years of age.
The son of the late Joseph and Aurelia Matranga Mirabella, he was born June 19, 1930, in the Bronx.
Mr. Mirabella was an avid fan of horse racing and a charter member of the United States Trotting Association as an owner and trainer.
In a family statement, it was said "Edward was a loving and devoted family man."
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Dorothy O'Connor Mirabella, at home; a son, Joseph Mirabella of Ferndale; two daughters, Susan Mirabella of Ferndale and Dawn Mirabella-Lewis and her husband, Walter, of New Hampshire; a sister and brother-in-law, Irene and Anthony Marroccoli of New Jersey; a brother-in-law, Vincent O'Connor of the Bronx; two grandchidren, Allison and Nicholas; and several nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11:45 a.m. Friday at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church in Liberty with Fr. Ivan Csete officiating.
Burial will be made in St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery in Liberty.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, Lower Hudson Valley Chapter, 200 White Plains Rd., Suite 523, Tarrytown, N.Y. 10591
Funeral arrangements were made by the VanInwegen Funeral Home in Monticello.

Susan Sekelsky
Ret. Teacher, 62

Susan Sekelsky of Plainfield, Vt., a retired 24-year teacher at the Purnell School in Pottersville, N.J., and more recently a volunteer tutor for Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, died Friday, September 13, 2002, after a four-year struggle with breast cancer. She was 62 years of age.
The daughter of the late Albert Byron and Eleanore Grant Hadden, she was born October 24, 1939, in Liberty.
A graduate of Liberty High School, she earned an AB degree in Business Management from the College of William and Mary in Virginia and a Master of Letters from Drew University in New Jersey.
After working at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Mrs. Sekelsky turned to teaching at Purnell School where she also held the titles of Librarian, Director of College Counseling, Dean of Faculty and Coordinator of the Overseas Language Program. For her service, Mrs. Sekelsky was honored by the establishment of the Susan Hadden Sekelsky Fund for the Study of Language and Culture.
She moved to Vermont in 1999 and began her volunteer tutoring. Mrs. Sekelsky also served on the board of directors of the People's Health and Wellness Clinic and the board of trustees of the Cutler Memorial Library.
In a family statement, it was said, "A Northern Star for many, Sue's optimism, strength, honor and lust for learning will continue to inspire all who have been touched by her light."
Mrs. Sekelsky is survived by her husband, Albert John Sekelsky, at home; two daughters and a son-in-law, Karen and Todd Ager of Keene, N.H., and Anne Sekelsky; a daughter-in-law, Jan Ruta of Plainfield, Vt.; three grandchildren; a sister, Diana Gale of Seattle, Wash.; and a brother, Peter Grant Hadden of Cape Coral, Fla. She was predeceased by a brother, Albert Hadden III.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 19, at 1 p.m. at the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, Vt.
Memorial contributions may be made to The People's Health and Wellness Clinic, 553 N. Main St., Barre, Vt. 05641 or to Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice, 600 Granger Rd., Barre, Vt. 05641.

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